Apparatus for indicating an operative condition of vehicle lights



H. L. BLACK Dec. 7, 1937.

APPARATUS FOR INDICATING AN OPERATIVE CONDITION OF VEHICLE LIGHTS FiledMay 4, 1935 EXT [Y Patented Dec. 7, 1937 1 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FORINDICATING AN OPERA- TIVE CONDITION OF VEHICLE LIGHTS Barry Lee Black,Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application May 4, 1935, Serial No. 19,801

7 Claims.

This invention relates more particularly to the lighting systems ofmotor vehicles in which two or more sets of lights are employed, some ofwhich are arranged in pairs of which both lights must be lit at the sametime when conditions require lights to be used, and my object is toprovide means whereby an indication is given when any running lightsswitched on for use at any given time are actually in operation.

10 A further object is to obtain indications of the operative conditionof two pairs of headlights and a tail light using no more than threeelectromagnets each with a single winding.

A further object is to provide means whereby 15 when a running lightused as a tail light is extinguished, the circuit of another light isclosed to replace that extinguished.

A further object is, when the replacement light is a signal lightgenerally known as a stop light", to provide means whereby theluminosity of the light is greater when used to signal than when merelyserving as a tail light.

I attain my object by means of the constructions hereinafter describedand illustrated in the accompanying diagram which shows a completelighting system constructed in accordance with my invention. In thedrawing A B C. D are electric light bulbs of the type in which theircircuits are completed by ground connections. The lights B and D are ofthe single filament type, the lights BB being intended for parkinglights and the light D as an indicator light.

The lights AA are of the double filament type used for headlights, onefilament being for the bright light and the other for "dim".

The light is a double filament light, one filament being for use as asignal or stop light and the other as a taillight. It will beunderstood, of course, that separate lights might be used instead oflights with double filaments.

Referring to the diagram. the battery H is shown as grounded at oneside. From the other side of the battery extends a conductor l which 45is connected in parallel to one end of the coil of each of theelectromagnets J. K. L.

The other ends of the coils are connected by the conductors 5, 4 and 3with the contacts 2i. 22 and 23 of the movable part of a switch I. The50 switch is provided with pairs of fixed contacts 24, H and 26 adaptedto be contacted in pairs by the contacts 2| and 22. Conductors 8 and 9lead from the contacts 26 to the filaments of the lights BB, conductorsl0 and I2 lead from the 5 contacts 25 to similar filaments of the lightsAA.

and conductors II and it lead from the contacts 24 to the otherfilaments of the lights AA.

The switch I is provided with an elongated fixed contact 21 from which aconductor 2 leads to the tail light filament of the light C. When 5 themovable contacts 2!, 22 of the switch I are engaged with any pair offixed contacts 24, 25,

26 the contact 23 is engaged with the contact 21. Under such conditionsit will be seen that, if the lights and connections are all in goodcondi- 0 tion, circuits will be completed through all the electromagnetsJ. K. L. which magnets are used to control the indicator signal providedby the light D. The filament of this light is connected by the conductor6 with the battery preferably by tapping it into the conductor I.

The electromagnets J. K. L. are provided with the armatures II, I! andI6 forming switch members adapted to open and close the indicatorcircuit 6. when the magnets are energized the circuit is closed and theindicator light D lights up and remains alight as long as all the lampsin series in the coils of their respective magnets remain lit, but assoon as any one of such lights fails the circuit c! the correspondingelectromagnet is broken and its armature drops breaking the indicatorcircuit so that the indicator light promptly goes out.

To cause the stop light filament of the light C to take the place of thetail light filament, I pro- 80 vide the following means. The conductor Iextends irom the filament to a back stop 28 engageable by the armatureit when the electromagnet L is de-energized by the failure of the taillight.

If the other running lights in use are in working 5 condition and theswitches II and I5 therefore closed the circuit of the stop light iscompleted through the indicator circuit 8 and the conductor l to whichit is connected. Preferably a resistance G is included in the conductor1 to cut 0 down the normal brilliancy of the stop light when thus usedas a tail light.

To increase its brilliancy to enable it to function as a. signal or stoplight, I position the stop ig'l'nt switch F in a conductor which tapsthe conductor 3 adjacent the electromagnet L and the conductor 1 betweenthe resistance 6' and the stop light filament. Thus. when the switch Fis closed, the resistance G is shunted and the stop light filamentincreases in brilliancy to give 59 the desired signal. At the same timethe electromagnet L is energized and closes the indicator circuit, thusnotifying the driver that his stop light is functioning properly. whenno running lights are in use and the stop light switch F is closed thestop light circuit is from ground, through the stop light filament, theconductors I and 20, the closed switch F, the coil of the electromagnetL, and the conductor l to the battery H.

Thus, if the stop light is functioning as a tail light, it is merelynecessary to close the switch F toget an indication that the stop lightso continues to function, but this indication can only be given as longas the switches l4 and I5 are closed, that is if the headlights in useare properly functioning. It follows that, if the indicator light, whichhas been illuminated, goes out, the driver can tell by closing theswitch F whether it is a headlight or tail light which has gone. If theindicator light remains out it is a headlight which is gone. If theindicator light again lights up it is the tail light which has gone.

While it forms no part of my invention, I show a dimming switch E in theconductor I2 which is normally closed. A back contact 29 is provided forthis switch connected by the conductor 30 to the conductor l3.

When the contacts 2|, 22 of the switch I are engaged with the contacts25 the bright filaments of the headlights are illuminated, assuming theswitch E is in its closed position as shown. If however the switch isdepressed the circuit of the bright filament of the near headlight isbroken and the circuit of the dim filament closed at the switch instead.

It is necessary to observe that the electromagnets must be wound so thatthey are responsive to the current flowing through lights of the lowestcandle power employed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a vehicle signal system the combination of a running light; acircuit therefor; an electromagnet in said circuit; a signal light; asignal light circuit normally open; a switch therein controllable by theelectromagnet to close the signal light circuit when the electromagnetis deenergized and thus substitute the signal light for the runninglight; an indicator light; an indicator light circuit; a switch in saidindicator circuit controllable by the electromagnet to close theindicator circuit when the magnet is energized and the running lightcircuit is operative; a

' resistance in the circuit of the signal light to dim its maximumluminosity; a shunt circuit connected with the signal light circuitadapted, when closed, to by-pass the resistance and the switch in theindicator circuit; and a switch in the shunt circuit adapted to open andclose said circult.

2. In a vehicle signal system the combination of a running light; asignal light; an indicator light; a battery, one side of each light andthe battery being grounded; a conductor leading from the running lightto the battery; an electromagnet having its coil in series in saidconductor; a

switch in said conductor between the running light and coil; a conductorleading from the signal light and tapping the first mentioned conductorbetween the coil and the running light at a point whence the path to thebattery is perma-' nently closed; a switch in the last mentionedconductor; a conductor leading from the indicator light and tapping thefirst mentioned conductor between the coil and thebattery at a pointwhence the path to the battery is permanently closed; a switch in thelast mentioned conductor controllable by the electromagnet to close acircuit through said conductor and light the indicator light when theelectromagnet is energized; a

back contact for said switch; and a conductor leading from said backcontact to the conductor which leads from the signal light to light thelatter when failure of the. running light has broken the circuit throughthe coil of the electromagnet.

3. A vehicle signal system according to claim 2 in which a resistance isincluded in the conductor leading from the back contact of the switch tothe conductor leading from the signal light.

4. In a vehicle signal system the combination of a running light; acircuit therefor normally closed; a signal light; a circuit therefornormally open and including a resistance; means whereby the opening ofthe running light circuit closes the signal light circuit to cause thesignal light to replace the running light; a. by-pass circuit tappingthe signal light circuit between the resistance and the light; and aswitch in said circuit manually operable, to close the circuit and thusby-pass the resistance to increase the brilliance of the signal light togive a signal.

5. In a vehicle signal system the combination of a pair of runninglights; an indicator light; a battery, one side of each light and thebattery being grounded; a pair of electromagnets each having a singlecoil; means for connecting the coils of said electromagnets in serieswith the pair of lights and with the battery; an indicator circuitconnected with the battery and the indicator light and including a pairof switches adapted to be closed by the electromagnets when the latterare energized; a single running light; a signal light, one side of eachlight being grounded; an electromagnet having its coil in series withthe single running light and battery when the pair of running lights isso connected; a normally open circuit for the signal light; meanswhereby the de-energizing of the last mentioned electromagnet closes thecircuit of the signal light; a shunt circuit connected to the circuit ofthe signal light between the last mentioned means and the light andconnected with the circuit of the last mentioned electromagnet to form aconnection with the battery through the coil of the said electromagnet;and a manually operable switchjn said shunt circuit.

6. In a vehicle signal system the combination of a running light; acircuit therefor; an electro magnet in said circuit; a signal light; asignal light circuit normally open; a switch therein controllable by theelectromagnet to close the signal light circuit when the electromagnetis deenergized and thus substitute the signal light for the runninglight; an indicator light; an indicator light circuit; the switchaforesaid being controllable by the electromagnet to close the indicatorcircuit when the magnet is energized and the running light circuit isoperative; a shunt circuit connecting the signal light circuit and thecoil of the electromagnet by-passing the switch in the indicator circuitand adapted when closed to energize the electromagnet and thus close theindicator circuit while maintaining the signal light circuit closed; anda switch in said shunt circuit adapted to open and close said circuit.

7. In a vehicle signal system the combination of a running light; acircuit therefor; an electromagnet in said circuit; a signal light; asignal light circuit normally open; a switch therein controllable by theelectromagnet to close the signal light circuit when the electromagnetis deenergized and thus substitute the signal light for the runninglight; anindicator light; an indicator light circuit; the switchaforesaid being controllable by the electromagnet to close the indicatorindicator circuit and adapted when closed to by circuit when the magnetis energized and the runpass the resistance and to energize theelectroning light circuit is operative; a resistance in the magnet andthus close the indicator circuit while circuit of the signal light todim its maximum maintaining the signal light circuit closed; and a 5luminosity; a shunt circuit connecting the signal switch in said shuntcircuit adapted to open and 5 light circuit and the coil of theelectromagnet close said circuit. by-passing the resistance and theswitch in the HARRY L. BLACK.

